Prison officials from Eswatini, Mozambique and Namibia have agreed to work with the Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services (ZPCS), sharing advice on rehabilitation of inmates and the four services reviewing their bilateral relations with the aim of strengthening ties.
Zimbabwe has a good record of prisoners learning skills that will help them on release and growing much of their own food while behind bars.
The visiting officials were impressed by several income generating projects undertaken in Zimbabwe’s prison system and wished to replicate them in their countries.
Recently, ZPCS send its instructors to Botswana, Eswatini and Zambia to train their counterparts on internal policing, as well as other prison security courses following a recent agreement aimed at improving the quality of service at prisons.
Speaking after touring Chikurubi prison complex, Namibian Correctional Service Commissioner-General Raphael Tuhafeni said he had learnt more on rehabilitation of inmates.
“I want to go and implement the subject of patriotism in our country so that officers love their country,” he said.
“On areas of production, we want to introduce fish ponds so that we grow fish ourselves. I was also impressed by good breed cattle and cross breeding which is very important in improving genetics.
“We want also to produce chickens so that we feed inmates. I was impressed by inmates who assembled motorbikes; that one is very important but l cannot do it myself because l have no capacity to do it. I am going to introduce all what l witnessed here to my country.”
Eswatini Correctional Services Deputy Commissioner-General Vusi Kunene said he was excited with empowerment of inmates that is taking place in prison facilities, adding that it will also help them to sustain their families upon release.
“There is self-sustainability. They don’t rely much on other people or Government. We have seen that inmates here consume what they are producing and sell the surplus. I am really impressed with the rehabilitation methods they are doing here in Zimbabwe,” he said.
Mozambican Prison Services Director of Operations Chief Superintendent Fernando Sumana was excited with progress made on the projects.
“Zimbabwe is doing great on correctional services. We are very happy and I urge you to continue raising your standards. Keep on improving. The sky is limit. The standards are good but do not give up. Keep on doing these important projects,” he said.
ZPCS Commissioner-General Moses Chihobvu said the visit was crucial to the country, adding that it will improve on progress in running correctional facilities.“Early this year we had delegates from Mozambique and Botswana, the heads of correctional programmes to exchange notes. This visit is important for us because they are seeing progress in our production in running correctional facilities,” he said
“On exchange programmes we are going to sign MOUs . This will enable us to carry exchange programmes. We have officers who are undergoing exchange programme in Zambia. We also have our officers who are currently in Botswana and Eswatini on the same programme.
“There are also things that we should copy from them because they are also doing very well. There parallel system is very good as compared to what we do in Zimbabwe. We are also going to copy from them. In terms of rehabilitation Botswana has gone far as involving chiefs and churches for reintegration into society.” – The Herald
